Central lubricating device



Aug. 30, 1932. o. SCHNEIDER CENTRAL LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 12.1929 Patented Aug. 30; I932 *rreD STATES,

OSKAR SCHNEIDER, OF BERLIN, GERMANY CENTRAL LUBRICATING DEVICEApplication filed August 12, 1929, Serial No. 385,250, and in GermanyFebruary 11, 1929.

The subject of the invention is a central lubricating device which isintended especially for grease but can also be used to advantage foroil. It forces the lubricant to the places to be lubricated by means ofpiston pumps, which is not the most reliable method in principle,.butdoes not, like already known appliances, need as many pumps as there arelubricating points or groups of lubricating points, while neverthelessoffering the certainty that even if one pump fails completely, alllubricating points will be supplied notwithstanding.

The efiicacy of grease lubricators of known design has hitherto beenimpaired or cancelled mainly by two facts, in the first place owing tothe fact that grease can be induced by suction like a liquid, and in thesecond place owing to the fact that air or other gases got into thechannels or pipes and were then alternately compressed and expandedinstead of transmitting the conveying or delivery movement of thepumppiston.

These two defects have been remedied by special original contrivances inthe new apparatus.

A constructional example is shown on the drawing appended.

Fig. 1 is a vertical central sectionthrough the apparatus.

/ Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the plane indicated by the line 22of Fig. 1.

'Fig. 3 is a similar view on the plane indicated bythe line 33 of Fig.1.

In the container 1 agitator wings 2 revolve at different distances fromtheir shaft of rotation 3, one of said wings moving in close proximityto the inner wall of the container '1. Below the agitator arms is avalveless l0 pump which is formed by the hollow chamber 4 of anintermediate bottom 5 shut ofi by a cover 6 and blades 7. The hollowchamber 4 of circular plan lies eccentric to the shaft piece '3, onwhich the agitator arms 2 are fixed, and through which in correspondingslots the two slides 7 slidable lengthwise are passed. At the point ofintersection the slides 7 are cut away at 8 on their lower sides for asuitable distance from their inner ends as shown at Fig. 1 to enablethem to extend over each other and not hinder each other,

The lid 6 has a large recess 9' permitting of the entry of the greaseinto the valveless pump, and the bottom of the chamber 4 a few holes 10which lead down to the receiving chamber 11 in which the pump device tobe described hereafter acts. Below the openings 10 there is arranged astrainer, for example, a perforated plate 12 in such manner thatthegrease conveyed downwards by the valveless pump must ass through thisstrainer before it reaches t 1e chamber 11.

Laterally to the valveless pump smaller holes 13 are also provided inthe floor 5 which allow the excess grease supplied to the pumping deviceby the valveless pump, and any air carried along to pass back upwardsinto the container 1.

In a cylindrical or conical bore of the foot 14 of the device thererotates a corresponding- 7 1y cylindrical or conical distributor 15,which is driven by the pair of Worm wheels 16 from the shaft 17.

With this distributor 15 the shaft piece 3 for the agitator wings 2 andthe slides 7 is coupled owing to the fact that the shaft piece has adiametric transverse slot in its lower end into which fits a key 18 atthe upper end 'of the distributor 15. This detachable coupling permitsof taking out the valveless so pump with agitator, upwards and thusexposing the pump device and the distributor. Near its upper end thedistributor carries two radial pump cylinders 19 in which the pumppistons 20 act.

The working chambers 21 of the pumps are each connected by a channel 22on the one hand with admission bores 23 and on the other hand withdischarge sockets 24 which lead to the distributing pipes 25. Thechannels 22 at the point where they are able to come opposite theadmission and discharge openings 23 and 24, are open towards theperiphery of the distributor body 15 and the arrangement of theadmissions and discharges 23 and 24 is such that each channel 22 when itis opposite the admission opening is shut ofl from the discharge openingand conversely. I

The pistons 20 are on each side for a certain distance provided withrack teeth 26 in which the toothed crown of the pinion 27 which istoothed on part of its periphery, engages. Integral with the pinion 27by its shaft 28 there is in each case a cam 29 which, on rotation of thepump cylinders 19, alternately co-operates with radial control ordistribution cams 30 and the like cams 31 parallel to the shaft.

If the distributor 15 revolves in the direction of the arrow shown inFigs. 2 and 3 the agitator wings 2 set the grease contained in thecontainer 1 in movement in such manner that it can uniformly enter thereceiving opening 9 of the rotary pumps and is in this process alreadyfreed as far as possible from air.

The slides 7 of the rotary pumps catch up the grease which has enteredthe chamber 4 and thrust it towards the passage holes 10, subjecting itto a certain advantageous pressure. This is brought about by the'factthat the shaft piece 3 of the valveless pump is eccentric to the pumpchamber 4 and the slides 7 are at their freeends, as seen from Fig 2,controlled by the-cylindrical inside wall of the pump chamber 4.

The grease pressed downwards through the openings 10 must pass throughthe strainer 12. The strainer not only keeps back any impurities, but bythe splitting up of the grease also produces a separation between greaseand any air which it may carry.

As the valveless pump delivers more grease than the pump device can moveonwards, a certain overflow constantly flows through the thin openings13 back into the container 1. upwards, and along with this excess alsoany hair which may have reached the pump cham her 11, and there tends torise upwards below the intermediate bottom 5, especially as the greasein, the pump chamber 11 is constantly under the pressure created by thevalveless pump. Under the same pressure the grease, through the bores 23reaches the channel 22 and passes behind the piston bottom, so that itcan share in the movement of the piston. On the'drawing the pistons ofboth pumps are shown in their own end position in which they haveemerged farthest from the pump barrel 19 (suction stroke). If now, inthe position drawn, the cam 29 strikes against one of the radial pins30, then its shaft 28 is rotated clock-hand Wise and the piston 20 ispushed in to the cylinder 19 by the rack teeth. Meantime the channel Fpins 31 parallel to the shaft, and is again swungback by the latter sothat the piston 20 in the cylinder is moved outwards, during thismovement the channel 22 is again in front of an admission 23., Thereforethe grease under pressure in the pumpchamber 11 noW presses out of itinto the pump cy1 inder.

The amount of the quantity of grease conveyed on each piston stroke canbe altered owing to the fact that the screw threaded control pins 30screwed into the outer wall of the apparatus are put further inwards orfurther outwards and held by corresponding lock nuts.

The individual parts of the new apparatus can of course likewise bedesigned in another wayconstructively. For example instead of thevalveless pump drawn any other satisfactorily working grease pump can beused. likewise the arrangement and control of the pump pistons 20 ispossible in another way,"

and also the design of the distributor 15 with its channels andshut-ofls, but the constructional form'illustrated is characterized byspecial simplicity and suitability.

It is to be noted that for the conveyance of grease to the pipes 25there are available not only 1 but 2 greasepuinps 20, 21 so that evenifa pump should fail for any reason, nevertheless each lubricating pipeand each lubricating point regularly receives a supply though smaller ofgrease, while on the other hand the two pumps 20, 21 can supply anydesired number of lubricating points.

I claim:

1. Lubricating apparatus of the class described, comprising a structurehaving a grease container and a receiving container with wh ch; thegrease container communicates, a revoluble element, a pump arranged inthe receiving container and compressing means in the grease containerincluding a rotor, said rotor and said pump being revolved by saidrevoluble element, a plurality of pumps carried by the revolubleelement, and a plurality of discharge ducts leading from the receivingcontainer, the said revoluble element forming a valve which controls theadmission of grease from the receiving container to thepumps and thedischarge of grease from the pumps through the discharge ducts. I

2. Lubricating apparatus of the class de scribed, comprising acontainer, a revoluble element, a pump arranged in said container ablethereby to impart oscillatory movement thereto and hence reciprocatorymovement to the piston.

3. Lubricating apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which one of saidtappet elements is adjustable radially, 1

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7 th day of May,1929.

OSKAR SCHNEIDER.

